Prince William, 32, decided well to change the monarchy’s image. He decided to be more than a full time HRH and to participate in helicopter rescue operations with the East Anglian Air Ambulance, a Bond Air Services charity. Thus he’s become the first member of the Royal Family to sign a contract with a non-trading company.

In September, he will begin training to become a pilot. However, second in order of succession to the throne, he promises to continue to honour his royal commitment, Westminster announced, especially when his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, delegates more and more of her activities. His training schedule will therefore be adjusted to his royal obligations.

Last September, he left the army after seven and a half years of good and faithful services, among which the last three as a Royal Air Force rescue helicopter pilot in the Island of Anglesey, Wales. Now, as a co-pilot, Prince William can be called to answer multiple emergencies to help heart attack or road accident victims, and fly day and night from Cambridge to Norwich. Plus, the Duke of Cambridge will give his entire pilot salary – 40,000 or 50,000 pounds a year, according to the British press – back to the EAAA, which is completely financed by donations, said a spokesman for the Palace.

One can legitimately wonder whether all this is pure philanthropy.

It may reflect an evil-spirited disposition to question every honourable action by the Royal Family, but it should be noted that the monarchy is often criticised for doing nothing useful for the country and simply living off taxpayers. Plus, the princely couple is not showing its best side these days: Kate and William recently decided to leave Kensington Palace and move to Norfolk in order to protect themselves from invasive media during Kate’s pregnancy. British people are likely to blame them for staying away from them. But Britons are no whiners: what really annoys them is that they’ve paid the renovation works of Kensington Palace with their taxes and the bill wasn’t cheap. They have the feeling that they paid for something relatively unused.

Prince William’s humanitarian actions can therefore legitimately be regarded as a way for the Monarchy to restore its image.